Buy or not to buy ?

[Salty321]

I am probably 80% there already. Just by posting this question, it would seem I am having serious questions.

I am asking myself

Why buy a vehicle almost 20 years old. Pay the same 2,900 and buy a much younger vehicle and possibly with even less mileage than the 104,000 miles this Ls430 being offered.

 

Yes it has 1 owner from new and until 10,000 miles ago had full service history from  lexus dealer. Cam belt fitted at 80,000 and it would appear the company are offering to fully service prior to me purchasing.

That said I am quite sure they wont change the oxegen sensors which are probably the cause of engine light on plus VSC.

 

That said. Is this car a good price ? An ok price ? Or a vehicle to leave well alone at any price ?

 

Yes the condition looks superb from the internet,  enough for me to lay down a 10% deposit in anticipation I will purchase. However.....

 

Do I buy this vehicle  20 year old vehicle 

Is it going to start costing me a fortune ?

Or realistically do I opt for a more sensible 

Smaller

Newer vehicle.

I appreciate your candid opinions 

 

Thanks 

Edited June 23, 2020 by Salty321
Grammatical

[J88TEO]

Take the plunge like I did. No regrets at all 🤣

My GS300 is 15 years old and 133K on the clock when I bought it. Wasn't well looked after unlike your LS.

[skyway]

Hi Stevie

As I have not seen the car it is hard to make a decision, however the fact that the VSC and Engine light are on is a big concern which I do believe is an MOT failure as of new rules.

 Have they run a diagnostics on the car to check what the light is on for it could be something small like a coil pack (cheap and easy) to some hidden gremlin which you could be chasing around for a while.

It might be an idea to check the MOT history https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

Toyota/ Lexus like all cars could fail and cause you a financial outlay however unlike lets say for example a ford fusion you wont get hit with an as large bill for the air shocks, as a guide they can be about a grand a corner if you are going through a dealer I do believe cheaper if you use an Indy or do the work yourself (you could always fit coil overs).

In regards to price £2900 for 104000 miles is good, maybe take it for a test drive and do all the normal checks 

 

Others on this forum are far more knowledgeable than I and I hope they chip in 🙂

Saying that these can be great cars and I would hard pressed given the choice of driving anything else. (Disclaimer I bought a Toyota celsior which is on coils having had my shocks go).

 

[PCM]

+1 above.

'fully service' can be ... a proper full service or just an oil change.

I had, 'the VSC and Engine light are on is a big concern' on my RX. Went into limp mode. I did get it fixed, but it cost me about £800.

Yours could be a different solution?

I would be cautious... 

[RXAndy]

8 hours ago, Salty321 said:

I am probably 80% there already. Just by posting this question, it would seem I am having serious questions.

I am asking myself

Why buy a vehicle almost 20 years old. Pay the same 2,900 and buy a much younger vehicle and possibly with even less mileage than the 104,000 miles this Ls430 being offered.

 

Yes it has 1 owner from new and until 10,000 miles ago had full service history from  lexus dealer. Cam belt fitted at 80,000 and it would appear the company are offering to fully service prior to me purchasing.

That said I am quite sure they wont change the oxegen sensors which are probably the cause of engine light on plus VSC.

 

That said. Is this car a good price ? An ok price ? Or a vehicle to leave well alone at any price ?

 

Yes the condition looks superb from the internet,  enough for me to lay down a 10% deposit in anticipation I will purchase. However.....

 

Do I buy this vehicle  20 year old vehicle 

Is it going to start costing me a fortune ?

Or realistically do I opt for a more sensible 

Smaller

Newer vehicle.

I appreciate your candid opinions 

 

LS's are great and if you get a good one it will go on and on. Why not just try and find one without warning lights on? A few more miles on the clock would be fine (as long as its got a water-tight service record) if that helps to bring a few more cars in budget. 

(If this is the only one you can find in budget with that sort of mileage then for me that rings a few alarm bells in itself).

 

8 hours ago, Salty321 said:

Thanks 

 

[harrylime]

What else can you get for £2900? I would suggest it's likely to be less reliable than a well maintained Lexus, with only a fraction of the driving pleasure and comfort

[JamesIS220]

Id say to the seller you will buy, if they sort out the warning lights once you have a satisfactory test drive.

You really need to view/drive the car. May be more faults, like AC, not working etc.

I wouldn't of put any deposit down, without viewing/test drive. I'm very untrusting of all dealers and Garages. Service as said is probably oil/filter change, if they do it! I would rather do it myself, so know what oil and filter has been used. 

The LS is a nice car. Would of liked one myself but insurance 1k for me!

Around 10 years ago I was looking for a Volvo 940 estate. Advertised as full service history, one owner, drives faultless. Immaculate. Pictures looked ok. Spoke to dealer and all sounded great. Arrived at car. It was unlocked. Stunk of dog. Boot all stained. popped bonnet and no coolant in reservoir. Absolutely filthy engine bay, leaking oil, old service items.  Head gasket staining down block. A right shed. 60 miles wasted!

James.

 

 

[J88TEO]

No wonder we don't trust dealers 🤣

[PCM]

1 hour ago, JamesIS220 said:

Id say to the seller you will buy, if they sort out the warning lights once you have a satisfactory test drive.

 

Agree.

And sorting out means not just clearing the codes, but resolving the underlying cause.

[Razor61]

14 hours ago, Salty321 said:

Cam belt fitted at 80,000

Not a lot of mileage since it was fitted but how many years ago since was it fitted is the question really. When I bought my car at 69,000 the cam belt had been done at 50,000 but that was 10 years ago so needed doing even though the cam belt had only done 19,000 miles, according the age/mileage rule. Also if the car is the one I've seen on Autotrader then it looks a bit grubby inside and one of the front seat belts looks like it has mildew on it. If it isn't the same one then ignore me😄

[Salty321]

Thank you all so much for your replies. It has helped me decide to inform the dealer I shall need a report of the diagnostics and that it was sorted or I shant buy.

I have laid a deposit to hold it  but I am pretty sure I would be entitled to this back after I had found out the advertisement of history of service is different.

 

Thank you all.

 

Steve 

[PeteTP]

19 hours ago, JamesIS220 said:

Id say to the seller you will buy, if they sort out the warning lights once you have a satisfactory test drive.

You really need to view/drive the car. May be more faults, like AC, not working etc.

I wouldn't of put any deposit down, without viewing/test drive. I'm very untrusting of all dealers and Garages. Service as said is probably oil/filter change, if they do it! I would rather do it myself, so know what oil and filter has been used. 

The LS is a nice car. Would of liked one myself but insurance 1k for me!

Around 10 years ago I was looking for a Volvo 940 estate. Advertised as full service history, one owner, drives faultless. Immaculate. Pictures looked ok. Spoke to dealer and all sounded great. Arrived at car. It was unlocked. Stunk of dog. Boot all stained. popped bonnet and no coolant in reservoir. Absolutely filthy engine bay, leaking oil, old service items.  Head gasket staining down block. A right shed. 60 miles wasted!

James.

 

 

May I throw this thought into the ring, please?

The final para of the quoted post is very similar to me unfortunately driving 9 hours round-trip to Southwest Lexus, near Bristol.

PLEASE EVERYONE AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE COVID 19.

The black LS is still advertised (location Yate) on other  sites. In reality, despite the proprietors  encouraging words in the advert and having spoken to him on the phone, I found this car to actually have 1) a damaged lower N/S/R door 2) an alloy that needed robust remedial work 3) a cracked windscreen 4) a piece missing from top of the central console missing and 5) the car noticeably pulled to the left on the test drive. He said that these were insignificant or he hadn’t noticed them - ahem!
 

The vendor was a hook and an utter chancer. He is still trading adding aRange Rover recently to his collection of dubious cars. Look up his Company’s status on Companies Hse website.
 

I believe seeing, smelling, touching and driving is believing. Trust me I’m (regrettably) living proof. Take NO chances would be my advice.

Good luck 👍

[RXAndy]

1 hour ago, PeteTP said:

May I throw this thought into the ring, please?

The final para of the quoted post is very similar to me unfortunately driving 9 hours round-trip to Southwest Lexus, near Bristol.

PLEASE EVERYONE AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE COVID 19.

The black LS is still advertised (location Yate) on other  sites. In reality, despite the proprietors  encouraging words in the advert and having spoken to him on the phone, I found this car to actually have 1) a damaged lower N/S/R door 2) an alloy that needed robust remedial work 3) a cracked windscreen 4) a piece missing from top of the central console missing and 5) the car noticeably pulled to the left on the test drive. He said that these were insignificant or he hadn’t noticed them - ahem!
 

The vendor was a hook and an utter chancer. He is still trading adding aRange Rover recently to his collection of dubious cars. Look up his Company’s status on Companies Hse website.
 

I believe seeing, smelling, touching and driving is believing. Trust me I’m (regrettably) living proof. Take NO chances would be my advice.

Good luck 👍

I had a similar experience with a 'dealer' at a compound in Old Wolverton, MK. 

Rx400h, full lexus history, 1 owner, no problems at all apparently. 

 

Turned up, car absolutely filthy, exhaust blowing badly (1st excuse: It's meant to sound like that; 2nd excuse: it's because it's been sitting for a couple of weeks! When I looked underneath and saw the rusty exhaust held together with tinfoil he then offered to pay for HALF the cost of repair if I bought it. He would not accept that it needed replacing despite the fact that it had almost completely disintegrated).

Brakes weak

Car pulling strongly to the left

Aircon not working: "everything has been checked and car is mechanically perfect, no way compressor can be broken". Told me I'd have to get it regassed myself. 

Service history suspiciously uniform; same stamp, same pen & handwriting for all services. 

Asked about timing belt: "oh no its a chain". I then took great delight in showing him a sticker on the engine cover saying "timing belt changed" with a date (not a recent one of course!). 

And finally, of course, he tried to pretend that the car had had an mot 6 months previously whereas in actual fact it would have run out if it wasn't for the 6 month Covid19 extension. 

The way he was trying to talk his way round all the issues was very funny in hindsight. 

I've forgotten the name of the dealer now but the compound was down a lane next to the Galleon pub in Old Wolverton. Don't go there! 

Sorry for going a bit off topic but I guess the point is that if something doesn't feel right I would argue it's not worth persuing. There are some real crooks out there.

Plenty of fish and all that....